SUMMER SISTERS
by Judy Blume
Historically, I haven’t been a big podcast person, until recently when I realized they help to pass the time on long driving trips. I’ve mentioned several times what a fan I am of Elin Hilderbrand’s podcast, Books, Beaches and Beyond. Recently, I started listening to Jenna Bush Hager’s podcast, Open Book with Jenna, and also recommend it highly. It was on that podcast that I first heard the absolutely delightful Judy Blume being interviewed. At 86-years-old, she has written 26 novels for children, young adults (YA) and adults. I had heard of her infamous YA novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, but haven’t read it. Beyond that, I was really unaware of what else she had written.
During her interview with Jenna, Blume discussed how her novel Summer Sisters had been reissued in a special 25th anniversary edition to coincide with Jenna’s selection of the book for her August 2023 “Read With Jenna Book Club.” Hager chose a 25-year-old book because she viewed it as the quintessential novel about female friendship. How was it possible I’d never heard of this book? Next trip to the bookstore, you can bet it was in my stack of books to buy. And I couldn’t wait to dive right in.
The friendship in Summer Sisters begins when Victoria and Caitlin are preteens. Outgoing and worldly wise beyond her years, Caitlin fascinates Victoria. Before long they’ve become inseparable and spend entire summers together on Martha’s Vineyard, largely unsupervised by parents. As high school leads to college and the years go by, the girls’ lives inevitably diverge. Victoria lives and works in New York City and Caitlin travels, experimenting with different lifestyles. Then, after some years, Caitlin comes back into Victoria’s life with a vengeance. She phones Victoria to insist she show up on Martha’s Vineyard in two weeks to be her maid-of-honor. She’s getting married. I can’t say anymore without being a spoiler. But, you should definitely give yourself the gift of reading Summer Sisters. (Liz)
